TRUE FRIENDS ARE A SPECIAL BLESSING

Proclamation:

 “Greater love hath no man that this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends …”  John 15:13-14 (ASV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke to His disciples as recorded under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle John.  He told them this after He told them that they should love one another as He had loved them. (John 15:12)

Application:

We call a lot of people our friends.  However, most of them are actually more appropriately classified as acquaintances, associates, classmates, colleagues, or co-workers.  Additionally, thanks to social media, we also have some “friends” who are only internet contacts.  Most of us use the term “friend” very loosely.  Jesus referred to His disciples as His friends and He said that He loved them enough to lay down His life for them.  Most of us would be willing to die for a loved one or a family member but not necessarily for our “friends.”  Think about all of the people you refer to as your friend and then ask yourself would you be willing to die for them.  Jesus loved us enough to die for us.  Most of us would not be willing to die for Him.  “What a friend we have in Jesus …”  As believers in Christ, and as students of The Word of God, we should value our relationship with The Lord and with each other.  People are allowed to enter our lives for a reason.  Some of them are a blessing to us which we may not recognize or appreciate during our encounters with them or at that time.  We should thank God for all of our friends, especially any friend that we love enough to die for, because that friend is truly a blessing.

BE CAREFUL WITH WHOM YOU ASSOCIATE

Proclamation:

"In the name of The Lord Jesus Christ ... keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received ..." "... Do not associate with them ... Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer."  2 Thessalonians 3:6 and 3:14-15 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle Paul under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God in a letter to the believers in Thessalonica.  Paul told them not to regularly associate with non-believers and those who repeatedly engage in sinful behavior.  They were to warn them, gently, of the consequences of their actions and then leave them alone.

Application:

We have no control over who our family members are, and we have very little control over who our coworkers are, but we choose our friends.  Some of the friends that we had earlier in our lives are not close to us now as we have grown apart.  Some of our friends still partake in the sinful behaviors that we, with the help of God, have put behind us.  It may be time to put those friends behind us also.  Christian believers are to separate themselves from, and not to regularly fellowship with, the habitually disobedient believers and from non-believers.  Do not hang out with or frequently interact socially with the blatantly sinful, non-believing individuals or with believers who live a pattern of life that is not conforming to The Word of God.  We are to warn them, in brotherly love, of the consequences of their behavior and their non-belief, but we are not continue to walk with them.  "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3)  We need to be careful regarding the people that we choose to "walk with".  Who our friends are says a lot about us.  If we are not strong enough to pull them out of their sins, we need to leave them before they pull us into their sinful behavior.  It has also been said that silence is consent.  Just being there with them, and saying nothing while they sin is for us a sin of omission.  To the world, we will be seen as committing the same sin, or at least condoning it.  “Birds of the same feather will flock together.”  The Bible teaches us to avoid sin and to abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV) 

BE CAREFUL WITH WHOM YOU ASSOCIATE

Proclamation:

“In the name of The Lord Jesus Christ ... keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received ... If anyone does not obey our instruction ... Do not associate with him ... Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother." 2 Thessalonians 3:6 and 3:14-15 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in Thessalonica.  Paul was both admonishing them and warning them not to associate with non-believers.  They were to tell the non-believers what The Word of God says.  If they chose not to accept it then the believers were to keep away from them.

Application

Christians are to separate themselves from, and not continue to fellowship with, habitually disobedient believers and from non believers.  We are not to hang out with or frequently interact socially with the blatantly sinful, non believing individuals or with so-called believers who live a pattern of life that is not conforming to The Word of God.  We are to warn them, in brotherly love, of the consequences of their behavior and their non-belief, but we are not to continue to “walk with” them.  "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3)  Be very careful regarding the people that you choose to "walk with".   Our friends are our friends because we chose them and we choose to associate with them when nothing forces us to do so.  Who our friends are says a lot about us and who we are.  Only birds of the same feather will flock together.  If we cannot pull them up, we should let go of them and not let them pull us down. 

A Real True Friend

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer  than a brother."  Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)

These words of King Solomon, the wisest man ever, contain two phrases and make two separate and distinct points.  The first is that in order to have friends, one must show himself to be friendly.  The second point is that there is a friend which will stick closer to you than a brother, and that friend is Jesus, The Christ. 

The Bible scholars agree that the second phrase refers to the friend that we have in Jesus, but they disagree on the interpretation of the first phrase.  "Friendliness wins friends and some friends are closer than others" is the thought of the King James Version and of the New King James Version.  While the American Standard Version and the New American Standard Bible present the thought that "a man who has many friends will come to ruin, and it is better to have one true friend than a host of friends who will lead you astray."  If we want friends, then we must be friendly.  However, we should be very careful regarding the people we choose as our friends.  How can two walk together unless they agree? (Amos 3:3)  A true friend is not a fair weather companion, they will be with us through feasts and famine, and through thick and thin. (Proverbs 17:17)  There is no friend like the friend that we have in Jesus.  He laid down His life for us. (John 15:13-14)  What a friend we have in Jesus.

Jesus Said You Are My Friends

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do what I command.^"  John 15:13-14 (NIV)

Near the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus, The Christ, told His disciples that they were His friends.  He also said that to lay down one's life for a friend is the ultimate demonstration of love for him. 

Many of us have people in our lives that we call friends.  A real friend is someone very special.  Webster's dictionary defines a friend as one who is attached to another by affection or esteem; a favored companion.  Every one that we go to school with, work with, belong to the same club with, or live near is not our friend.  Every one who likes us or follows us on a social network is not really our friend.  We have a large number of acquaintances and associates, colleagues and co-workers, in our lives who are not really our friends.  A friend is some one who will go out of their way to maintain a relationship with us when there are no outside forces keeping us together.  They may not contact us everyday, but when they do there is a genuine love present.  There are some friends that stick closer to us than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)  We may have a friend who would be will to die for us.  But there is no friend like the friend we have in Jesus.  He is indeed truly our friend, and so much more than that.  He lived for us, He died for us, He rose for us, and now He intercedes for us.  We are His friends if we do what He says, so let us obey The Word of God.

A Prayer For My Christian Friends

To all of my friends, "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." 3 John 1:2 (NIV)

The Apostle John here was praying for his friend Gaius. Not much is known about Gaius, but he is obviously a very good Christian because John prayed that his physical health and his life may go as well as his soul and spiritual life is going.

So, to those of my friends who believe, and are saved, and are walking with Christ, I pray this prayer. May you enjoy good health, a good long and happy life, and may your life and physical health match your spiritual health and life. And, to those of my friends who are not saved, may something be said, written, read, prayed, preached, or sung to you that The Holy Spirit can use to convict, convince, and convert you so that you too will believe.

Trust In The Lord And Not In Man

"Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught ... My heart is in anguish within me ... Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me ... If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God ... But I call to God, and The Lord saves me ... men who never change their ways and have no fear of God. My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords. Cast your cares on The Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall. But You, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you." Psalms 55:1-23 (NIV) Shortened

This psalm of David is one of his prayers. He prayed this prayer when he was being attacked from without and from within, and even some of his friends had turned on him.

Not only are we suffering from the attacks and disappointments from others, but our thoughts and emotions are negative and out of control. This psalm of David advises us to pray when things seem to be going wrong. David also warns us to watch out for our "so-called" friends. We expect attacks from our enemies, but not from our "friends." These "friends" will attack us, usually verbally, and break promises made to us that they never really intended to keep. They are smooth talkers, but they have malice in their hearts. Trust in The Lord, for only He can protect and sustain us.

Watch Out For Smooth Talkers

'I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people." Romans 16:17-18 (NIV)

There will always be those who are disruptive, instigators, self-serving individuals who try to derail any good effort because they cannot control or influence it for their benefit. Be careful and weary of smooth talking individuals, their delivery of a lie filled message can cover up the fact that what they have to say is designed to lead you astray. Just because something sounds good does not make it truthful.

Do not associate with people who attempt to lead you in a direction that is contrary to serving The Lord. People that encourage you to partake in sinful activities are not really your friends and should be avoided. Friends are happy for you when you are blessed, and are not glad when you stumble.

Be Careful Who You Associate With

"In the name of The Lord Jesus Christ ... keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received ..." "If anyone does not obey our instruction ... Do not associate with him ... Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother." 2 Thessalonians 3:6 & 14-15 (NIV)

Christians are to separate themselves from, and not to fellowship with, habitually disobedient believers and from non believers. Do not hang out with or frequently interact socially with the blatantly sinful, non believing individuals or with believers who live a pattern of life that is not conforming to The Word of God. Warn them, in brotherly love, of the consequences of their behavior or their non belief, but do not continue to walk with them.

"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Amos 3:3 Be careful regarding the people that you choose to "walk with". Who your friends are says a lot about you.

Who Are Your Friends?

"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Proverbs 13:20

Be very careful regarding the company that you keep and the people that you hang around. You will begin to think like, talk like, and then become just like them. You are born into your family, and you may not have a lot of choice about your coworkers, but you choose your friends.

Are your friends Christians? Do you hang with saints or sinners? Maybe there are some people in our lives that shouldn't be there. Remember the old saying, "Birds of a feather flock together." Unknown